A BBQ cake

Friends of ours are visiting from Faro (Kara, Matt, Hunter and Cavan-see blog on my list) We are having a BBQ with them and I am bringing a cake. Kara watches my blog and requested a mosquito/blackfly cake! I didn't want to make one giant mosquito....so, I made a 'bug' cake. Peekaboo was happy to help out! And yes, she dressed herself! The round portion was my first attempt at homemade pound cake with strawberries and chocolate ganache in the middle.

The rectangle is plain ol' chocolate cake! It has blackflies, mosquitoes and bees in the 'sky' and ants and ladybugs on the 'ground'....complete with anthill. I think the kids will really like it! And no, those aren't real rocks. Tim thought they were!

My newest new thing!

I thought that I would try my hand at making sugar flowers.....yikes! I read up about it online, of course! Though they recommend using gum paste, I had to use my marshmellow fondant...no gum paste here! But, not bad for a first try. Some friends are celebrating their 8th anniversary (congratulations!) and I was asked if I would make a cake for their dinner tonight. I thought that this would be the perfect opportunity to try out my skills!

Yes, that is a swingset. They used to 'hang' out at the swings at the beach...how romantic!

Ezra was being left out....No longer!!

Peekaboo has been on the receiving end of all of my recent "projects". She has about a zillion dresses, hats, slippers, a doll....Ezra got one sun hat, and that was the end of it... So, I decided to try out a pattern for a little pair of groovy pants for my little groovy man.

I got the material from a local gal who gets it from Africa. At $6 a yard, it is a great deal!

Happy Canada Day!

Yep, once again it is Canada in Hay River. The big event of the season, complete with parade, BBQ and carnival. Peekaboo was fully prepared with her ear protectors, though we didn't have a spare pair for Ez....oops! My hands had to do! It was 9 degrees, Peekaboo got cold (big surprise...9 degrees? Someone forgot to tell Mother Nature it is JULY FIRST!!!) But, I must admit, the cooler weather did help keep the bugs in check-they weren't nearly as bad as last year.

Even Ezra got in on the carnival action this year, taking part in the "duck pond". He almost became one of the ducks-I think he would have crawled right in if I had let him!

The Dress

Gramma M sent some lovely pink eyelet and some pink tulle for Peekaboo. I have been practising my dress-making skills so that The Dress would be just right.

Yes, the tulle is on the outside-that is where Peekaboo wanted it! The "Ballerina" part on the outside Mommy, whatever. It is lovely and we have just enough tulle left over for a tutu-type skirt.

Outside fun!

We finally had a nice day, weather-wise, and the kids were thrilled to spend some time outside. Ezra enjoys the sandbox, and Peekaboo was helping him explore the wonder that is sand. He also enjoys the plethora of Dandylions in our yard-whatever, Peekaboo thinks they are "beautiful flowers...." Ezra, apparently, thinks they are "something tasty for me to put in my mouth!" We picked up a $5 pool at Fields. Ezra wasn't quite sure what to make of this new addition to the yard....

Ezra finally braved it, crawling in over the side..

...then screaming and crawling out the other side even more quickly!! A little too cold I think!

Cute pillowcase, cuter twirly skirt!

This skirt started out it's life as a pillowcase-a groovy pillowcase! I wanted to try out a pattern before using any nice, expensive material...so I got a pair of pillowcases at Fields for $2.50! It is a great twirly dress-Peekaboo wants me to make MORE, Mommy, please.....?